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Wednesday, 17 November 2010

Ventriloquism : n. art of throwing one's voice so that it seems to come from some source other than the speaker. 1797, formed as a descriptive noun to ventriloquist, with substitution of the suffix -ism. The word has generally replaced the older ventriloquy. —ventriloquist n. an expert in ventriloquism. 1656, in Blount's Glossographia; formed from English ventriloquy + -ist. —ventriloquy n. ventriloquism. 1584, formed from Late Latin ventriloquus ventriloquist + English -y. Late Latin ventriloquus (Latin venter, genitive ventris, belly + loqui, speak) was patterned on Greek engastrimythos, literally, speaking in the belly.

~ from the Chambers Dictionary of Etymology

AND SUCH WAS THE TREASURE OF INSPIRATION I found in my beloved Etymological Dictionary, when I searched for Ventriloquism, upon learning that I was to paint the front cover for Catherynne M. Valente'swonderful forthcoming collection of short stories. Catherynne's world and mine intersect in some melancholic snow-bound medieval Slavic outpost, where freaks and outcasts, oddities and dreams wander the streets with sorcery in their pockets and an eye on another horizon. Truly her writing is exquisitely painted, and I was honoured indeed when she asked me to create the cover for this marvellous book.

She told me that it had the flavour of her other work - baroque and colorful and more than a little sad. It's full of duelling geographers, she said, dream-eating tapirs, winemakers in space, selkies, aeronauts, Venus and Mars, secret video games, a host of fairy tales, rusalka medical students...it's six years of my work, in one book. I kind of think of the whole thing like the witch's candy house in Hansel and Gretel.

Well! How could I not be inspired and delighted by all that?! And so in I delved...

I took the idea of belly-speaking from the original meaning of ventriloquism, and decided that the front of the book should show a kind of marionette figure (operating her own strings) whose body was the gingerbread house itself. From the belly of this character, from the stove of the gingerbread house/body, rises a smoke of characters from the world of these stories: Narwhals, bears, parrot-men, pickpocket pamphleteers, monks, dream-tapirs, witches,monopods,rusalki, selkies, blemmyae.... and a mystery of others.

In the sky above hang many strange planets, even a fob watch, and down below on a railway line from some eastern onion-domed city, travels a train whose track becomes a ladder to the moon. Underneath this, for the keen-eyed, is written in Cyrillic a Russian lullaby which goes like this:

Баю-баюшки-баю,

Не ложися на краю.

Придёт серенький волчок,

Он ухватит за бочок

И утащит во лесок

Под ракитовый кусток.

which means something like this:

Baby, baby, rock-a-bye

On the edge you mustn't lie

Or the little grey wolf will come

And will nip you on the tum,

Tug you off into the wood

Underneath the willow-root.

and sounds something like this:

This track is Yuri's Lullaby from Ludovico Einaudi's soundtrack to Doctor Zhivago, but you might have also heard the lullaby in the masterly 1979 animation by Yuri Norstein Skaza Skazok (Tale of Tales) ...

Russian animation delights and astounds me endlessly. I collect favourites on my youtube channelherefor afternoons with rain on the windowpane and cup of tea in hand, and I sit and marvel at the patience and soul that goes into these masterpieces.

Anyhow, although I learnt Russian at school, and can just about order a cup of coffee and read road signs to Vladivostok, I seem to have made one tiny mistake in the lettering... exchanging a к for a ж! This was spotted by an eagle eyed reader ofCatherynne's blogand is going to bother me forever now, as it was whisked to print before I could correct it! But perhaps it'll remain a little oddity, in excellent company amongst oddities of the highest order who inhabit the wonder-filled world of Ms. Valente.

I was chuffed indeed to read her kind praise of my work too, and to hear that she feels my painting describes her world so closely.

The painting took me absolutely weeks and weeks... I got more and more involved in it and happily lost in the world of gingerbread marionettes, medieval monstrosities, sugar-spun ships, sea-dwellers, forests in the snow... Here amongst my burblings are pictures of it in its birthing, pencil and then watercolour, and the title lettering too.

You absolutely must order a copy. It is available for pre-order now, ready for its December publication. Ventriloquism is being published here in the UK by PS Publishing, based in Yorkshire, with an introduction written by Lev Grossman, who writes of the book:

"When this book arrives it will destroy you. It is going to change things. As its herald I will be spared. But you? There is no safe harbor for you."

This is the final work - do click to enlarge

~~~~~~~~~

AND as a last post script, I'd like to say a basketful of thanks to all of you who read my recent post and wrote such kind, encouraging and thoughtful comments and emails. I am uplifted and cheered and more than a little astounded! Thank you!

Our late autumn days are rolling along happily, the Slavic aroma has drifted into other things, as it is wont to in this house: there's accordion and clarinet duetting, Baba Yaga drawing, and daily hound stomps out into the frost where the hills are crackling blue and Winter watches us all from over the hill, and throws her voice into this November, like the artful ventriloquist she is.

Phantastic work! I was rocked with some bayushki-bayú in my childhood, although not entirely. You got the atmosphere! The close-up of the people's portraits can tell.My mother told me about another Russian folk song with the lines: "The evil Chechen sneaks up the river bank, his dagger sharpened". Very good idea for a lullaby.

Oh Rima, Your book cover is so incredible. I just found out through our geneology trek that my great grandparents came from Odessa. My name is the pronunciation of Cynthia in Russian (Xenia).Your beautiful painting fills a place in my heart of heritage. Thank You.Cenya

I love how you throw off astounding language, as the below, as though it were nothing at all. Everything from your lips reads like the finest tale to be told, even your Tweets, for sweet sake. I bet if you swore in anger it would make the heavens shimmer.

"Our late autumn days are rolling along happily, the Slavic aroma has drifted into other things, as it is wont to in this house: there's accordion and clarinet duetting, Baba Yaga drawing, and daily hound stomps out into the frost where the hills are crackling blue and Winter watches us all from over the hill, and throws her voice into this November, like the artful ventriloquist she is."

A wonderful piece of art, it will make a stunning book! There's always so much within those faces, postures of hand, turn of glance... deeply emotive and evocative.And the animation had me deeply drawn in, such delicately and powerfully drawn symbolisms... and more than once reminding me of a touch of Tarkovsky and Stalker... Thankyou so much for sharing it!Take careCarrie...

So lovely - might try to get hold of the book even. Your pictures, and especially this cover, remind me of childhood dreams and nightmares combined! there is always a certain 'something additional in the shadows' with your work that leaves your mind working overtime. The gingerbread house has that danger element that I always sense in your work.

Wow! I was mesmerized by the Russian Tale of Tales Videos. Watched them over again and the 4th one( the last). That this was done without words, only being "spoken" in animation and music is astounding.I was just taken in with the story and the skill of the animation.Your cover for the book is wonderful. So like you, filled with symbols and strangness.... and so much of the human condition.You are an amazing artist...

I love getting lost in the characters you draw and paint and this book seems a wonderful pairing. I agree with the comment about an element of danger in your creations. The people push at my eyes with their stories and expressions...This is the time of year that is cozy and dangerous too. I am sooo tempted to get this book!

Oh Rima, I love that I'll be able to go into a bookshop and see your marionette and all the dreamy passengers of your train lined up and ready to journey off and away with me. Congratulations, it must be exciting! How perfect, how lovely!

Oh my my it is absolutely enchanting! I love every cent of it! You are a master at painting, all the characters and everything in the picture are just perfect, making it so interesting and oddly beautiful.

Congratulations ! A wonderful triumph - it's beautiful. I love the tiny details too, like the shadowy train driver and the little man running from the forest. Lovely to have such well-deserved praise from the author xxx

rima, i am so excited about the book, and of course i've rushed right over to that site to order it. if only i could have it signed by you...perhaps if i sweet talk you, you can send me a bookplate that is signed?i've been remembering doctor zhivago this week, and russian things, and even featured a quote from the book on my blog. must be in the air.i have thought of you often, and hope you are well. xo

this cover is absolutely stunning! it doesn't surprise me at all that you are captivated by russian animation- i've always loved it, too, and i can see it so clearly in your work. your art and your writings are such wondrous things... thank you for sharing them...

The cover is a thing of beauty and wonder - as ever, I feel myself blessed to witness the dreaming and making and evolving of it. I too am particularly fond of the fellow in the woods... perhaps he's one who is intimately acquainted with red and white mushrooms? But I'm really here to say what a fantastic idea I think the Rima Staines bookplates are (see the comments above)! Can't wait to see what's next! x

Rima, I have been pouring over each new blog addition and rationing out the backlog written prior to my discovery for those times in my life when inspiration, warmth, and beauty are most needed, but I have heretofore remained a silent watcher.

That said, I could not remain silent at the marriage between your art and Catherynne Valente's, as it is a perfect match! I bemoan the fact that I must wait most impatiently to find a copy here in the U.S. I will simply have to console myself with a reading of Palimpsest and more backlog of your blog while I wait for the next great work!

How in the world did you paint the most precise-yet-abstract depiction of how characters housed in my home library appear to me?

I read your present blog entry yesterday evening, the promptly dreamed in the language of your art last night. I think at some point I need some of your work. Being a lowly bank clerk, it won't happen tomorrow, but eventually.

Regretfully I am not good enough in English language to express what I alway feel when reading in this blog. It is a very special kind of magic which you you create with your words, pictures and artworks. Thank you very much for this very special gern in www

hello RimaI've been away too long from your enchanting words and art. However, whenever Troy draws a face I think of you and the time you gave to him. This book cover is truely magical to say the least. The detail is astounding and at first glance you miss all the tiny details encapsulated within. I was sorry to read about the refund misunderstanding, and wish I could buy that clock off that lady for you. However, such is the way of people in todays society.We miss you and Tui but are glad you have found a sweet haven.I am also glad you have a beautiful dog.Much love comes to you from both of us and keep on with your weird and wonderful art and words.Yours forever Tracy x

About Me

Rima Staines is an artist using paint, wood, word, music, animation, clock-making, puppetry & story to attempt to build a gate through the hedge that grows along the boundary between this world & that. Her gate-building has been a lifelong pursuit, & she hopes to have perhaps propped aside even one spiked loop of bramble (leaving a chink just big enough for a mud-kneeling, trusting eye to glimpse the beauty there beyond), before she goes through herself.

Always stubborn about living the things that make her heart sing, Rima’s houses have a tendency to be wheeled. She currently dwells in an old cottage on top of a hill on the edge of Dartmoor with her beloved, Tom, & their big-hearted, ice-eyed lurcher, Macha.

Rima’s inspirations include the world & language of folktale; faces of people who pass her on the street; folk music & art of Old Europe & beyond; peasant & nomadic living; magics of every feather; wilderness & plant-lore; the margins of thought, experience, community & spirituality; & the beauty in otherness.

Crumbs fall from Rima’s threadbare coat pockets as she travels, & can be found collected here, where you may join the caravan.